


a ship runs on loyalty

by braigwen_s



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Minor Character Death, More Of A Meta/HC Transplant, Not Written That Much Like A Story, Power Dynamics, Subterfuge, Treason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-11-02 04:10:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20617466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/braigwen_s/pseuds/braigwen_s
Summary: After the failed invasion of the Northern Water Tribe, Lieutenant Jee has some... alternative interpretations of events.





	a ship runs on loyalty

Jee served under Iroh at the siege of Ba Sing Se, and while he was very disillusioned when he had his Breakdown he came to have a lot of empathy for him, a kind of man-to-man respect rather than mook-to-crown-prince. He also hated Zhao’s guts because of how reckless he is with the safety of his men, and like. Had more than one braincell. so when Zuko ‘died’ he would’ve willingly led a mutiny against Zhao if Iroh had accused him of murdering the crown prince.

He was ... kinda depressed to see Iroh working with Zhao instead, but at least that meant a tempering influence that might save lives from Zhao’s fool tactics.

The end of book one threw him for all kinds of loops, but he only had time to process when he was mourning his ship’s dead and received orders to arrest Iroh and Zuko on sight. He wouldn’t have put it past either of them to commit treason, but Iroh would only have done it to save lives, surely, or as part of a greater strategy...

Traitor for good reason or not, though, it wasn’t lost on him that the ousted and current heir to the throne both were now the Firelord’s targets. He might’ve been less suspicious if Iroh hadn’t told him about what the Firelord had done to Zuko, but the man clearly had utter disregard for his family. Maybe he wanted to keep his claim to the throne secure... after all, from what he heard Zuko had never technically surrendered. Zuko may be too fool to realize that he might still have a claim on his father’s life and the throne, but his uncle would surely know..

He acknowledges his new orders, and gathers his able men into the sickbay, so he can address the injured and ill at the same time. He states all that he thinks. He posits the daring premise that the Firelord himself is committing the highest of treasons, against Agni itself, by lying and delegating instead of defending his claim to the throne himself. So, he tells his men, they all have a choice. Hunt down the brat and his kind-hearted failure of an uncle, or quietly ... let’s say, die at sea, once everyone has been nursed as close back to health as possible.

They end up doing something in-between. Jee pulls all the strings he can to get medical discharges for his injured and ill men. A few tragically die on the way home, and a few more “”tragically die on the way home,”” returning under false names to their families in the rural Fire Nation. He knows they’ll all be interrogated. The ones he doesn’t trust... well, you don’t move up in the Fire Nation military by not being utterly ruthless when need be. Their blood stays on his hands. It’s better than it being Iroh and Zuko’s blood.

When he and his survivors arrive home, they are indeed interrogated, but they’ve had weeks to come up with a perfect story. Most of the men are reassigned.

Jee receives an early retirement, as thanks from the Firelord himself for being willing to question Prince Iroh himself about treasonous behavior, months before the warrants were issued. His failure to get in contact with Admiral Zhao is graciously accepted - Iroh was indeed a wily creature, it was understandable to fear him intercepting messages.

Well. Less than a year later, there’s a new Firelord.

Jee drops to his knees, presses his forehead to the floor, and swears fealty. He’s broken these oaths before, but he doesn’t intend to break this one. The kid didn’t turn out so bad. Jee’s pretty sure that was on Iroh.


End file.
